Thailand PM faces no-trust motion

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra faced a no-confidence debate launched by her opponents in parliament, a day after political protests turned violent in Bangkok.

But the motions, which also target three other government ministers, appeared to have little chance of being passed by a legislature dominated by Yingluck’s Puea Thai party and its coalition partners.

“The prime minister has failed to govern this country as promised. She allows corruption,” Democrat Party opposition MP Jurin Laksanavisit said at the start of the debate, which is scheduled to last for three days. “She also allows outside people to influence her and control her administration,” he added, in a thinly veiled reference to Yingluck’s brother, ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

Yingluck, who is accused by her rivals of being a puppet for her fugitive brother, told reporters she was “confident” her government could defend itself.

Her six-party ruling coalition, formed after Puea Thai’s decisive election win in June 2011, controls about three-fifths of the seats in the lower house.

The debate, which is due to be followed by a no-confidence vote on Wednesday, kicked off a day after riot police clashed with anti-government protesters in Bangkok.